Whether your going on a family vacation or just leaving to work for the day, you want to make sure your home is as secure as possible from home intrusion. Here are some do it yourself tips to maximize your home’s break-in prevention.

1. Install an alarm system. Nothing deters intruders more than seeing a home is secured with a home security system. In fact, homes without a security system in place are 3 times more likely to have a break in.

2. 40% of break-ins occur without a forced entry. Meaning an intruder walked right in the front or side door. This is an easy fix, make sure you arm your security system and secure all entry points (doors, sliders, and windows) before leaving for the day.

3. Secure all ground level windows. All low level windows should be outfitted with a sensor that will trigger your security system when breached. You can also go one step further and install a glass break detector that will trigger an alarm if a window or sliding glass door is broken.

4. Leverage your neighbors and community to watch your home when you are away for an extended period. This is especially important for a neighbor to collect your mail and paper to create a sense of being home. Burglar’s will often target homes that appear to be vacant since they will have little resistance.

5. Cameras. No burglar wants to deal with the hassle of an outdoor camera system. Especially when 60% of burglaries happen between 6am and 6pm, a burglar would have to carefully plan out their break-in and cameras are often a huge deterrent from home invasions. With today’s technology you can even access your cameras and security system on the go from your mobile phone. Now it’s even easier to see what is going on at your home.

6. Home automation in the form of smart lighting. With motion detectors you can set your outside lights to turn on when set off. With your smart phone you can set your interior lights to turn off an on during certain times of the day to give the appearance of being home.

These are just a few tips to make your house more secure and provide you with that extra sense of security. Let us know if you have any additional tips you practice to keep your home and your family safe.